


Black Friday

by Barb Cummings (Rahirah)



Series: The Barbverse [84]
Category: Buffy the Vampire Slayer
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Christmas, Established Relationship, F/M, Fluff, Future Fic, Humor
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-04-13
Updated: 2015-04-13
Packaged: 2018-03-22 18:09:39
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 457
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3738409
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Rahirah/pseuds/Barb%20Cummings
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>It was truly a vision of Hell; even a vampire might well quail in the face of such savagery.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Black Friday

**Author's Note:**

> This story takes place in the same universe as _A Raising In the Sun_ et al. It was written for the [](http://USERNAME.livejournal.com)**USERNAME** prompt "Surviving Christmas."

Spike slumped against the wall with a groan. "Love, you know I'm not the sort to give up easily, but it's impossible. We're never going to find one. May as well pack it in."

Buffy surveyed the horde in dismay. As much as she hated to admit it, Spike might be right. A sea of bodies surrounded them, jostling, shoving, tearing at each other. Teeth were bared and maddened eyes flashed. It was truly a vision of Hell; even a vampire might well quail in the face of such savagery.

"There! There's one left!"

Buffy's head snapped up, following the line of the upraised arm and pointing finger. All around her their rivals were doing the same, a hundred pairs of eyes all intent on a single goal, a many-headed beast ready to trample anyone who stood in its way. She glanced at Spike and saw new resolve come into his eyes. Impulsively, she took his hand and squeezed. One or both of them might not come out of this alive. "Ready?"

He nodded. "Bloody right. Now!"

As one, they surged forward and dived into the throng of Christmas shoppers. Spike ran interference, breaking through the crowd with a skill honed at hundreds of soccer riots, while Buffy dodged and ducked her way through the stragglers. The shelf loomed overhead, and as a dozen other shoppers hollered for customer assistance and tried to wrestle the big rolling stock ladder over, she took a leap and clambered upwards, higher, higher, higher.

Her outstretched hand brushed cardboard and plastic just as her foot slipped, and Buffy fell back to earth, clutching her prize to her chest. Spike caught her and whirled on the crowd with a snarl and a flash of fang. The half-dozen shoppers nearest them shrank back, and before they could work up the courage to rush him, Spike flung Buffy over one shoulder, vaulted over a pyramid of Lego pirate sets, and ran for the register. "Keep the change!" he yelled at the cashier, flinging a fifty at her over the counter. He crashed through the front doors shoulder-first and didn't break stride until they reached the parking lot.

Buffy whipped out her phone as Spike popped the trunk of the DeSoto. "There!" she said, ticking _Smile Time Talking Flora Doll_ off the list. "Connie's taken care of. Now all we need to do is get something for Giles – well, we could do that online, I guess, since we'll have to ship it anyway – "

"Not a chance!" Spike cracked his knuckles and bounced up and down on his toes. "Old Rupert deserves the personal touch." He grinned. "And here I used to think Christmas shopping would be _less_ exciting when you can't kill the clerks!"

**END**


End file.
